TURKEY IS NOT A YOUNG POPULATION ANYMORE!
The notion about Turkey being a ‘young society’ is becoming a history. The experts remind that older population makes up an important part of the society now. Extended families turned into nuclear ones. The experts say that with the increased life span and change in life styles, elderly care services gain importance with each passing day. Based on the Turkish Statistics Institute’s (TÜİK) 2012 data, Turkey has a 7.5 % of elderly population and this number is expected to reach up to 10% in 2013.
Melahat Kızıl, Lecturer at Izmir University of Economics Vocational School of Health Services, stated that Turkey was no longer a young population as it was widely thought before, and that new policies regarding the older population needed to be set. “If the older population takes up 7-10% of the society, it is considered an old society. 2012 TÜİK statistics revealed that we have a 7.5 % elderly population and this number is expected to reach up to 10% in 2013. In other words, we are an old society now. Aegean Region has the highest older population with a 16.5 %. This year we are offering an elderly care program in Izmir University of Economics. This program is very significant in terms of having the oldest population in Izmir,” said Kızıl.
Kızıl also pointed out that Izmir was preferred widely by the retirees, although there were 5 elderly care facilities, they were still not enough to meet the needs. Kızıl mentioned that the Turkish society turned into nuclear families gradually. She said, “Our society does not reflect family matters outside very much. We are lucky in this sense. It looks after both its children and elder. Children usually take care of their parents; however, changing life conditions make it impossible for children, who move to other cities or countries, to look after their parents. Therefore, parents are left on their own, having no place in nuclear family structures anymore. This is when the elderly care programs step in.”
“One out of two 65 year olds has depression”
Older population should not be excluded from the social life and one out of two 65 year olds had depression stated Kızıl and mentioned that those people actively taking part in life decreased the possibility of needing care. She said Turkey was not ready for older population and that generation was pushed into homes. Kızıl stated the following:
“An active life does not mean sports only. These people need to get active in every aspect of life. They need to take part in city councils, express their ideas on social matters. The society needs to prepare itself psychologically for the older population. Depression is a high possibility in inactive life styles especially. Psychological and physiological support is essential. The new generation gets expertise on what to do in elderly care programs. They learn about providing all kinds of support to elderly from nutrition to medical care, to beds, etc.”
“Illnesses will increase in older ages”
Melahat Kızıl stated that individuals 65 and over were considered old in societies and Turkey had more than 6 million old people, and illnesses increased with the older population. She reminded that after the 2nd World War, Europe and America supported baby births known as the ‘baby boomer’ period. Kızıl said, “This population got old. Usually, people over 75 have 3 chronic diseases. While it is one or two after the age of 65, people over 75 should be ready for 3 chronic diseases. We see rapid increase in illnesses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc. in older ages, especially after 85 and over. This means more care and cost. Therefore, a special interest and knowledge is essential when it comes to elderly care.”
